Just-for-Fun Yoga and Anatomy Quiz

Answer Sheet with Results

Correct answers are in red and + indicates an answer that was submitted. It’s a good thing I called this a just-
for-fun quiz, because I made some mistakes and I’ve already changed my mind on some of the answers! ~ Chris

1. The original language of Yoga is:

a. Hindi+
b. Latin
c. Sanskrit ++++
d. Greek
e. Chinese

2. T+++ or F++: Yoga is an offshoot of the Hindu religion. Since writing this question, I have learned from an
expert that there is no clear answer. I was taught that the origins of yoga precede Hinduism and the source of that
information was probably Deepak Chopra. His opinion on that is disputed, by Hindus. However Yoga is
something that exists in various religious contexts, but is not necessarily a product of them. Yoga can be
practiced apart from or in conjunction with religious beliefs.

3. The physical practice of yoga widely practiced in America today in studios and fitness clubs is a branch of Yoga
classically referred to as:
a. Hot Yoga
b. Hatha Yoga+++
c. Core Yoga
d. Yin Yoga
e. Bhoga Yoga++
Hatha yoga literally means sun-moon yoga. It refers to practices that focus on balancing the body’s energies. It is
preparation for meditation and only a portion of the entirety of Yoga.

4. The purpose of Yoga as taught by the ancients is to attain:

a. Perfect health+
b. Peace of mind+++
c. Stress relief
d. All of the above++
e. None of the above
The purpose of Yoga was to attain enlightenment or Self-realization.

5. Yoga is a strict discipline which requires:

a. Strength
b. An objective frame of mind++
c. A flexible body
d. All of the above
e. None of the above++
When I wrote this I was thinking ‘b’ was the correct answer. Some would say that the goal of yoga is to transcend
the mind, therefore and objective frame of mind is very different. Now I say the answer is ‘e.’

6. The word “asana” refers to:

a. A yoga pose or posture++++
b. A breathing practice
c. A relaxation technique
d. A chant+
 7. T or F+++++: If a pose is very challenging, it is a good technique to take a deep breath, hold it, and try your
hardest to make it look as good as someone else’s pose. Straining, and striving are never part of yoga techniques.

8. T+++++ or F: It is seldom appropriate to hold the breath during yoga practice, with the exception of certain
pranayama techniques.

9. T+ or F+++: Muscle flexibility is more important in yoga than muscle strength. Flexibility and strength are
complementary qualities of equal value.

10. T or F+++++: Amputees’ bodies are not suitable for the practice of yoga because they are unbalanced. Yoga is
suitable and adaptable to any body.

11. The word “pranayama” refers to:

a. The proper attire for a yoga practice.
b. Vegetarian guidelines for yoga practitioners.
c. Breath control exercises +++++
d. Meditation
e. Relaxation.

12. Yoga was not considered an appropriate practice for women until:
a. The early 20th century++
b. The late 19th century
c. The Renaissance
d. The 1960’s
e. The first century A.D.+
This is not a good question. I was thinking ‘a’ was the answer. I had read how Indra Devi had to persist to
become a student of Krishnamacharya in 1937. She was the first woman he accepted as a student and the
first foreign woman. She was an actress of Russian birth and married to a diplomat. In 1947 she moved to
Hollywood and opened a yoga studio, notably teaching Greta Garbo and Marilyn Monroe. But aside from
that, she made yoga accessible to many everyday women around the world, spreading the practice outside
the ashram. However, historically it can be found that there were yoginis before the 20th century. I doubt
that they were homemakers and mothers!
13. In the pose called “standing forward bend” the focus is on:
a. The front body
b. The back body
c. The hamstrings
d. The feet
e. All of the above+++++
f. None of the above

14. Before beginning a yoga practice the first step should always be:
a. Drinking water+
b. Having a light meal
c. Putting on some relaxing music
d. Making sure pets are shut out of the room
e. All of the above+
f. None of the above+++
Be still and center yourself. That’s why we always sit and breathe first.

15. The appropriate amount of time to wait after a meal before beginning a yoga practice is:
a. 30 minutes
 b. 60 minutes
c. 90 minutes
d. 2 hours
e. It depends on the individual +++++
A general recommendation. I agree with 90 minutes if it’s a full meal. For a snack the digestion time
might be shorter. I could have added: “f. It depends on the meal.” The point is, have an empty stomach.

16. T++ or F+++: Some people are naturally better at yoga than others.
There is no “being good at yoga.” It is correctly practiced without judgment and has nothing to do with a natural
physical strength or flexibility.

17. T+++++or F: Sometimes the practice of yoga can trigger a strong emotional release.
And if it does, let it flow. Don’t suppress it.

18. A person who is unable to touch the ground in a standing forward bend:
a. Has a fat belly
b. Needs a massage
c. Should see a chiropractor
d. Probably has tight hamstrings+++++
e. Should try aerobics instead of yoga

19. Twisting poses are beneficial because they:

a. Energize the body
b. Wring out tension around the vertebrae
c. Help to decompress the spaces (discs) between the vertebrae+
d. Stimulate the digestive organs
e. All of the above++++
f. None of the above

20. The primary benefit of practicing a reclining forward bend rather than a standing forward bend is:
a. The floor helps to keep the spine in its natural alignment++++
b. It’s harder to see how everybody else in class is doing
c. It’s harder for other people to see how you are doing
d. You can focus on the ceiling
e. Your hair stays out of your face

21. T+ or F++++: Yoga is so safe that even a person with retinal detachment or glaucoma can practice any yoga pose
without harm.
Yoga poses can have contraindications. Retinal detachment and glaucoma are contraindications for inverted
poses.

22. T+++++ or F: An elderly person with osteoporosis can enjoy a modified yoga practice.

23. T+++ or F+: Yoga is the safest form of exercise/fitness for anyone.
Too broad a generalization. Consider each individual’s needs and abilities.

24. The psoas muscle is:

a. One of the longest muscles in the body
b. Has an energetic connection to the kidneys
c. Attaches to the lowest thoracic vertebrae
d. Attaches to the femur
 e. All of the above+++
f. a and b only+

25. The 4-muscle group referred to as the quadriceps are:

a. Also known as the rotator cuff +
b. Supposed to be tight
c. The muscles that shape the butt+
d. In the upper chest
e. On the front of the thigh+++

26. The metatarsal joints are:

a. Within the ball of the foot +++
b. The knuckles on the hand ++
c. The hips
d. The shoulders
e. None of the above
The knuckles are metacarpals.
27. T++++ or F+: At different times of the day the breath predominates in one nostril over the other. The breath
alternates from predominance on one side to the other about every two hours.

28. T++ or F+: The breath directed into the right nostril delivers energy to the right side of the brain. Right nostril>left
brain, left nostril>right brain.

29. The term “Prana” refers to:

a. The mind
b. The breath++
c. Life force+
d. Energy
e. All of the above
f. b, c, and d only +

30. T or F+++++: Yoga is a physical practice only meant to be practiced without any regard to personal ethics or beliefs.
Yoga comes with a set of 10 ethical and personal practices called the yamas and niyamas.

31. T+++ or F++: The sacro-iliac joint, aka s.i. joint, is a ball and socket joint that connects the spine to the pelvis.
It’s a gliding joint. Trick question. Ha! (I had to look it up.)

32. T or F+++++: Obesity makes a yoga practice nearly impossible.

As long as you can still breathe you can begin your yoga practice.

33. T+++ or F++: A healthy diet is part of a yoga practice.

Yoga is a holistic practice.

34. The lumbar spine forms:

a. The natural curve of the neck
b. The natural curve of the low back+++++
c. The natural curve of the belly
d. All of the above
e. None of the above

35. The cervical spine forms:

 a. The natural curve of the neck+++++
b. The natural curve of the low back
c. The natural curve of the belly
d. All of the above
e. None of the above

36. The thoracic spine forms:

a. The natural curve of the neck
b. The natural curve of the low back
c. The natural curve of the belly
d. None of the above++++
e. All of the above

37. T+++ or F++: The Lumbar curve is designed to be much longer and more arched than the cervical curve. They are
very similar in length and arch, even though the lumbar vertebrae are larger. Take a look at the spine model next time
you’re at the Yoga Loft.

38. The areas of the body that most commonly hold tension and stress are:
a. The shoulders++
b. The hips+
c. The jaw+
d. The butt
e. All of the above+++
f. None of the above

39. One part of the body that never holds tension is:
a. The fingers
b. The toes
c. The scalp +
d. The belly
e. None of the above ++++
Tension can occur anywhere in the body
40. T++ or F+++: The sequence of our attention in the yoga practice moves into the body first, then the mind, then the
breath.
This is what Iyengar teaches and he refers to it in his book Light on Life. Always move your attentions from the
gross to the subtle.
41. A way in which we waste or lose energy is:
a. Chest breathing
b. Repetitive thought patterns
c. Clenching the jaw
d. Shrugged shoulders
e. All of the above++++
f. a, c, and d, only+

42. The part that pain plays in the yoga practice is:
a. to indicate that we are accomplishing something
b. to remind us of yesterday’s practice
c. to remind us that we’re getting old
d. to indicate a boundary for movement+++++

43. The philosophy of yoga teaches us to:

 a. Set goals for self-improvement+
b. Believe in a higher power
c. Become a vegetarian and lose weight
d. Become a pacifist
e. All of the above+
f. None of the above+++

44. The diaphragm is:

a. Dome shaped when relaxed
b. A muscle
c. Located at the top of the abdominal cavity
d. Essential to breathing
e. All of the above+++++
f. None of the above

45. T+++ or F++: There are three Bandhas or “Locks” in yoga, Mula bhanda, Uddiyana bandha and Jalandhara bandha.

46. T+ or F+++: There are 108 Mudras or hand positions in yoga.

There are thousands of mudras.
47. T or F++++: The ancient yogis dissected cadavers and discovered the centers referred to as “chakras.”
The chakra system is a model/metaphor for our understanding of body energy, possibly created by those who can
see energy patterns and auras.

48. T+++++ or F: Ujayii Breath is translated as “Victory Breath.”

49. T or F+++++: Yoga is a religion.